Looking Back

From the Sunday Times 50 years ago

THE Attorney-General of the Cape announced today that he would institute an urgent investigation into allegations of corruption in the Bantu Administration Department arising out of the report of the Paarl Riot Commissioner, Mr. Justice Snyman.

And almost simultaneously, in Paarl, Mr. Piet H. Ferreira, a member of the Town Council , launched a vigorous attack on the Snyman Report.

The Attorney-General, Mr. W. M. van den Berg, told me today he would also inquire into other allegations of corruption arising out of earlier prosecutions in Paarl.

The Attorney-General said that at the time of the earlier Paarl prosecutions — in 1960 — he was “perturbed” about the alleged intimidation of witnesses. — July 21 1963

From the Sunday Times 25 years ago

FERGIE fever has reached boiling point in Britain with everyone from royal watchers to bookmakers guessing: When will her baby be born?

Yesterday, the bloated Duchess of York celebrated an uncomfortable second wedding anniversary — without her husband. Prince Andrew was flying home from Singapore.

Speculation about the sex of the royal baby is also rife. Fergie’s R2 400-a-day room in London’s exclusive Portland Hospital has been redecorated with sugar pink wallpaper. Does this mean a girl is expected? A scan is understood to have revealed the baby’s sex.

And why was Fergie’s Harley Street obstetrician Anthony Kenney at the hospital late on Friday night? — July 24 1988